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RESOLUTION No

RESOLUTION No.8/1998/NQ-CP OF JULY 16, 1998 ON MEASURES TO DIRECT THE PLAN FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF 1998

On June 29 and 30, 1998 the Government meeting in regular session for June 1998 decided on a number of following undertakings and measures on which efforts shall have to concentrate for directing and guiding the plan of socio-economic development and the State budget in the last six months of 1998:

A. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FIRST SIX- MONTH PLAN, MAIN SHORTCOMINGS AND THEIR CAUSES

Having foreseen the difficulties in 1998, in the first six months of the year along with continuing measures to overcome the consequences of natural diasters, the Government has centered its guidance and direction on unraveling difficulties and impediments in development investment and in production and business, increasing measures to support the peasants and enterprises, creating more favorable conditions to develop the internal resources in the spirit of the Resolution of the 4th Plenum of the Central Committee of the Party (VIIIth Congress). At the same time, the Government has handled flexibly but cautiously a number of financial and monetary issues aimed at limiting to the minimum the unfavorable impact of the economic crisis in the region and ensuring the stability of the macro economy. The guiding and directional activities of the Government, the ministries, branches and localities have been improved by a further step.

These efforts have contributed together with the entire Party, army and people to overcoming difficulties, limiting the decline of production and business, maintaining quite a good growth rate (GDP increased by 6.64%), stabilizing the macro economy, firmly maintaining security and national defense. Education, training, culture, social affairs, public health care have all made progress.

However, the socio- economic situation of our country is facing major difficulties and challenges:

The growth rate of the economy has slowed down; social purchasing power and the export market have narrowed down, the goods of our country are facing more acute competition; the heavy consequences of natural disasters continue to affect agricultural production; the mobilization of capital in the country and from abroad for investment in socio-economic development is meeting many difficulties, the investment capital from State budget sources remains limited, investment capital from enterprises and the population is lower than projected, foreign investment is falling sharply; a number of constructions and projects of urgent need have failed to come up with schedule due to the shortage of fund, and thereby shall directly affecting the economic growth of this year and the following years. Budget revenue is low while requirement for expenditures has increased causing further strain of the budget. Social evils have not been overcome noticeably. Job for the working people is one of the burning issues that requires concentrated effort for settlement.

The above situation stems from many causes. Apart from the heavy consequences of natural disasters and the unfavorable impact of the regional economic crisis, the subjective weaknesses also play a very important role. The effectiveness and competition of the economy remain low and have not shown any noticeable change yet. The concretization and the organization of the implementation of the undertakings and policies of the Party and the State aimed at promoting the renewal, strongly developing the internal resources, raising the effectiveness of international economic cooperation to develop production and business... remain slow and have not created a fundamental change. The impediments in the system of institutions and administrative procedures remain big. Part of the cadres, especially those at the executive level still cause hindrances and harassments to the production and business activities of the population and the enterprises. The implementation of the policies and regulations of the State including correct ones which are promulgated in time, has not been serious in some places and at some times.

Concentrated effort must be made to overcome the above weaknesses in the coming period.

B. MAJOR SOLUTIONS FOR DIRECTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1998 PLAN

The most important objective of the directional and guiding work in the coming months is to create a strong motive for development among all strata of the population; to develop to a high level the resources in the country; to draw and use effectively the outside sources of capital; to overcome the weaknesses in the organization of implementation in order to overcome difficulties and challenges, to achieve socio-economic stabilization and development. In that spirit, the Government has decided on a number of following major undertakings and measures:

I. IN AGRICULTURE

1. To concentrate on closely guiding the tending and harvesting of the Summer-Autumn rice crop and begin production of the main crop, striving to reach the planned target in food output.

2. To closely guide the exportation of rice, ensure national food security in all circumstances; at the same time, to regulate well the circulation of food to the high-lands, the deep-lying areas and the food shortage areas.

3. To push forward the tempo of construction at the urgent water conservancy works in the flood - prone areas in the Mekong river delta before the flood season in 1998. To closely direct the measures of dyke protection and prevention and fight against floods and storms, to adopt concrete plans to cope with the worst situation that might happen.

4. The People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government need to rapidly check the areas of industrial crops especially coffee, cashew, pepper... which have been damaged by the recent serious drought. The State shall assure enough preferential credits to the farmers so that they might tend and restore the areas of damaged industrial plants and give them loans to plant sugarcane where sugar mills have been set up.

5. To consume farm products in association with developing farm produce processing industries directed toward promoting export, and raising the effectiveness of agricultural production is the factor of crucial significance that must be given appropriate attention. To strongly encourage all economic sectors to invest in building establishments to process farm produce and consume products for the peasants. The corporations which deal in food and food products at the central and local levels should concentrate on building concrete plans for expanding the market for farm products in the country and abroad. To give priority to investing in developing industries to process farm, forestry and marine products in conformity with the conditions of each area and each locality. The Government shall provide support for the investment in processing, especially deep processing, aimed at raising the quality of a number of exports such as rice, marine products, tea, coffee, vegetables and fruits and other food products.

6. The State shall encourage and create conditions for all economic sectors to purchase boats, ships and fishing gear for offshore fishing. The State-owned fishing enterprises should expeditiously renew their organization and management in order to raise the effectiveness of their activities and better fulfill their role as the core of the fishing population operating on the open sea including in the fishing, purchase, processing and marketing of their products and related services. To continue improving the procedures of lending, step up the disbursement for the projects of building fishing trawlers. To pay adequate attention to the training of skilled labor and managers for offshore fishing. To strengthen the storm forecast service and the rescue work on the sea.

7. To review the organization of the implemen-tation of Program 327 and the various models of forestry economy in the past years in order to draw the necessary experiences for the building of the appropriate institutions, policies and modalities for organization and guidance and ensure high effectiveness in the exploitation of 10 million hectares of unused land and bare hills. In the immediate future, it is necessary to draw the necessary experiences to guide the program of planting 5 million hectares of forest. To begin implementing the plan of reclaiming a number of large areas in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle and Binh Phuoc province in order to move part of the landless peasants in the Mekong River delta to settle in these areas. At the same time, to strongly encourage the population to invest in exploiting the unused land and bare hills to plant industrial crops, fruit trees, and raise livestock in the form of farming ranches.

8. The Presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces shall take practical measures to prevent forest fires, strictly deal with the violations causing forest fires and closely guide the replanting of forests where such fires occur.

9. The People's Committees of the provinces must have a firm grasp of the situation of food shortage in their provinces and take prompt measures of timely relief and guide the planting of short-term vegetables and subsidiary crops to guard against pre-harvest famine.

10. To raise the responsibility of the administration at all levels in the settlement of complaints and suings of the population; to carry out well the democratic regulations at the grassroots; to ensure security, stability and solidarity in the countryside.

II. ON INDUSTRY AND STREAMLINING OF STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES

1. With regard to the products with high competitiveness on the market in the country and abroad, especially export products of all economic sectors, they are eligible for preferential credits to renew equipment and technology, and expand production and business. Policies of reward shall be adopted for the enterprises which have a large amount of export products or which have new high-tech products and for the organizations and individuals that have opened new export markets.

2. To continue renewing and raising the efficacy of the operations of the State enterprises is an urgent and fundamental requirement of the economy. In the last six months of 1998, along with implementing solutions to correct and renew the operations of State enterprises, it is necessary to step up the implementation of the policy of equitization of State enterprises, at the same time to direct the trial carrying out of the forms of leasing, shifting to the form of collective ownership or selling a number of enterprises which do not need to maintain State ownership in the spirit of the 4th Plenum of the Central Committee of the Party (VIIIth Congress).

In the third quarter of 1998, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Communications and Transport, the Ministry of Construction and the city of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City shall announce the list of State enterprises scheduled for equitization and their plan of execution in the year. The other ministries, branches, provinces and cities shall continue to announce the list of State enterprises to be equitized in 1998 and prepare their plans for rearrangement and equitization of enterprises in 1999. At the same time, they shall expeditiously execute Decree No.44/1998/ND-CP of June 29, 1998 of the Government on the transformation of State enterprises into joint stock companies.

To streamline the contingent of managers of enterprises and supply those with good qualities and capacity to the State enterprises; to resolutely replace those who have committed mistakes or who have poor capacity and are incapable of fulfilling their responsibilities.

4. In the third quarter of 1998, the People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government shall have to complete working out their plans to unravel difficulties for the local enterprises, including economic, organizational and personnel solutions and submit them to the Prime Minister.

5. The Ministry of Planning and Investment should organize a specialized section to assume the responsibility of a coordinating center to settle or report to the competent level to settle in time the obstacles and difficulties in production and business of the foreign invested enterprises with special attention to the maintenance of the use of labor and promotion of export. The ministries in charge of different branches shall have to solve the obstacles and difficulties in production and business of the domestic enterprises under the authority of the branches and the jurisdiction of the ministries. The Central Committee for Enterprise Management Renewal shall have to make an integrated report and propose to the Prime Minister measures to solve the existing problems or problems that have newly arisen at Corporations 91 concerning the mechanism, policies and models of organization for the management of enterprises.

6. The enterprises which are to be moved out of the cities and towns according to plan are allowed to assign the right to use the old production sites in order to pay for the building of new production sites in the places where they shall be moved to.

7. The Prime Minister shall direct the city of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to conduct the experimentation of the granting of the land use right to the investors who buy the population's right to land use for production and business or convert the residential land into land for production site in conformity with the general planning of the city, without having to pay an additional rent to the State and allowing them to change, assign, re-rent, mortgage or inherit this area within the use period.

8. To complete in order to promulgate soon a Government Decree on "reorganizing the inspection and control of the enterprises". The related ministries and branches, viz. the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Justice, the State Inspectorate and the Ministry of Finance shall expeditiously work out the regulation on inspection and control of the enterprises in execution of the above-mentioned Decree and publicize it so that the people and enterprises could take part in the supervision of this work.

III. ON DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT

1. With regard to the budget capital sources, the Ministry of Finance shall maximize the mobilization of the sources of revenue according to the provisions of law in order to ensure enough expenditures for development investment according to the approved estimate. Not to cut any investment capital according to the plan already allocated at the beginning of the year to the ministries, branches and localities. To add 1.450 billion Dong to assure the reciprocal capital of the works and projects with ODA investment, a number of water conservancy projects and urgent special projects.

2. To space out the tempo of construction and defer the building of a number of projects in Groups A and B (as indicated in the attached appendix) which come under the concentrated budget sources. In particular for the projects in Group C, from now to the year-end to speed up the starting of new construction of projects already registered in the 1998 plan. To seriously carry out Decision No.1179/1997/QD-TTg and Directive No.5/1998/CT-TTg and ensure the disbursement of 70% of the capital for the projects in Group C which are likely to be completed in the year in order to put them into operation soon.

3. Not to continue new investment in the projects in hotel business, beer, vertical kiln cement and sugar mills if they are considered not solvent or shall carry the debt for a too long period and require special conditions of payment; to consider for deferring the starting of construction and to defer the preparation for the starting of major cement plants invested by sources in the country at least until the year 2000.

4. The ministers, heads of the ministerial-level agencies, heads of the agencies attached to the Government and presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government shall have to revise and report to the Prime Minister the plan to readjust the investment structure in the above spirit on August 15, 1998 at the latest. The capital-managing agencies shall not allocate capital and shall not disburse payment for those ministries and localities which fail to comply with the prescriptions of the Government.

5. The projects and constructions which have a volume of actually completed work bigger than the volume assigned in the plan of the previous year shall not be supplied more fund in the 1998 plan for payment.

6. To carry out fully the commitments of Vietnam in each ODA project, to ensure enough reciprocal capital for the programs and projects already registered in the plan. To step up the building of projects, ground clearing, improve the consideration and adoption of tenders. The Ministry of Finance shall submit to the Government a plan to modify the regulations on taxes in Decree No.87-CP of August 5, 1997 aimed at definitively settling the questions on taxes related to the ODA sources in order to increase the rate of disbursement of the funds already committed.

7. To allow the flexible handling of the rate of capital contribution of the Vietnamese side in the initial stage of the joint ventures when the Vietnamese enterprises still have small capital and gradually raise the rate of capital contribution of the Vietnamese side when conditions permit. To put an end to the situation when any enterprise or organization which has the land use right can become a partner in a joint venture even though it has no condition to manage the business. The State shall assign the land use right to the enterprises which have the necessary conditions in specialization, technique and personnel in order to enter into joint venture with foreign sides. In the third quarter of 1998 the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall submit to the Prime Minister a draft mechanism to encourage investors in the country including both the State-owned sector and the other economic sectors to cooperate and pool capital to enter into joint venture with foreign sides, and ensure the advantageous position as well as the really equal right of the Vietnamese side in the joint ventures. Vietnamese enterprises are not allowed to borrow foreign capital at high interests to contribute capital to the joint ventures.

8. In addition to the State-owned enterprises, to allow the other economic sectors to cooperate in investment with foreign countries in the branches and domains where no ban or restriction is imposed. To allow Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to experiment with the project of renting land to foreign investors to build residential houses for sale and rent.

9. The People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government, the central and local managing boards of industrial zones and the companies dealing in the infrastructure of industrial zones shall have to create favorable conditions for the investors who are operating in the industrial zones to overcome difficulties, maintain the use of Vietnamese labor, and step up export. At the same time, it is necessary to switch the focus on the mobilization of investment in order to fill up the areas for rent. With regard to the industrial zones which are building their infrastructure they shall have, depending on the source of investment in each zone (100% foreign investment, joint venture with foreign sides, or credit fund borrowed by Vietnam to invest...) direct and guide the investors to build the infrastructure and exploit it as far as it is built. It is necessary to closely monitor the granting of licenses to build new industrial zones.

10. To allow the foreign-invested enterprises producing exports which are meeting difficulties in export market to readjust by increasing the rate of domestic consumption for those products which Vietnam still has to import and which the domestic market still needs or to change their business lines.

11. To consider the possibility of allowing a number of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) enterprises which are meeting difficulties in capital, which are needed by Vietnam and which have the capability of paying debts to borrow capital at the banks of Vietnam. To promulgate regulations on paying and mortgaging so that FDI enterprises may borrow capital from banks in the country; to provide support by selling foreign exchange to foreign-invested enterprises which are really meeting with difficulties due to the regional economic crisis and because the import market has been narrowed.

12. In the third quarter of 1998 the Ministry of Planning and Development shall announce the list of projects calling for foreign direct investment, with the estimated sizes, productivity, partners, locations, implementation tempo... of the projects in order to ensure compliance with the policy of readjusting the investment structure, raising the social and economic effectiveness of the investment projects.

IV. IN THE DOMAINS OF EXPORT

AND IMPORT

1. To continue executing in a synchronous way the policies of encouraging export already set out in Government Resolution No.2/1998/NQ-CP of January 26, 1998.

2. To simplify administrative procedures aimed at creating more favorable conditions for the export and import of materials, machinery and equipment and raw materials for production of commodities including export products made under subcontracts. The Ministry of Trade and the General Department of Customs should increase control over the sections and personnel responsible for settling procedures related to import and export.

To set up the Provisional Working Group of the Prime Minister with the General Director of the General Department of Customs as standing member and with the ministries with specialized managerial function sending their personnel to participate as members. The Group has the duty to complete within the third quarter of 1998 the revision, supplementation and modification of the system of legal documents related to export and import by highlighting the responsibility of the owners for the quality of imports, abolishing the regulations which are no longer appropriate and which cause obstructions of goods at the border gates, ensuring the managerial efficiency of the State while creating the most favorable conditions for the export and import activities.

3. The Prime Minister shall direct the prolongation of the time limit for the payment of import tax in the last six months of 1998 in order to relieve the burden of capital borrowing of the enterprises.

4. The Ministry of Trade and the State Bank shall assume the prime responsibility together with the related ministries to enquire into the possibility of signing agreements on export and import and payment at government level with the countries to which large potentials of export are open to our country but which have so far not yet signed trade agreements because of many unresolved questions in the signing of export contracts as well as in the modalities of payment. Along with the process, it is necessary to find appropriate business organization forms and payment modalities in order to resolve expeditiously the difficulties and obstacles and broaden the export market. On this basis, to guide and help a number of major enterprises to start the implementation in order to draw experiences.

In the immediate future, the Ministry of Trade and the State Bank shall assume the prime responsibility and together with the various branches resolve the payment relations in order to broaden soon the market into the SNG countries and countries in Eastern Europe. The Ministry of Trade together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall urgently work out a plan for the export of farm produce, food products to Iraq and other countries in the Middle-East. To allow the Ministry of Trade to deduct a proportion from the textile quota of the EU to set up the Fund of reward for export in order to encourage those enterprises with a big volume of exports and new products or organizations and individuals that can broaden their markets or find new export markets.

5. In the third quarter of 1998 the State Bank shall set up the "export credit fund" to provide financial assistance to the enterprises dealing in exports.

6. The Ministry of Finance shall affix import stamps on a number of more imports which can already be produced in the country with good quality.

7. To continue promoting the fight against smuggling and trade fraud.

V. ON FINANCIAL AND MONETARY ISSUES

1. To continue implementing the policies and solutions set out in the Resolution of the 4th Plenum of the Central Committee of the Party (VIIIth Congress) aimed at making the financial-monetary system sounder, ensuring conditions for social and economic growth, controlling inflation, stabilizing the macro economy, and taking the initiative in coping with the unfavorable impact of the regional economic crisis.

2. To ensure the plan of budget revenue already passed by the National Assembly. On the basis of the prescriptions of law, the localities which collect more than the projected revenue under the central budget shall, aside from the part they can enjoy according to current regulations, be awarded another proportion by the Government to spend on the development needs of their localities; those localities which fall short of their assigned level of revenue shall have to make corresponding cuts on expenditures. To strengthen the management of revenues, and mobilize well the revenues likely to surpass the prescribed level in order to make up for those which might fall under the norm. To readjust in a flexible and timely manner the various tax rates or subsidiary taxes for a number of imports which the country has produced enough or which can be accepted by the market.

3. To maintain the State budget deficit at the level adopted by the National Assembly. To strictly carry out the Ordinance and Decree on thrift practice and wastefulness combat. Not to use the 10% of the regular expenditures which has been allowed to keep at the beginning of the year in the 1998 draft budget according to the Resolution of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly. To tighten the spending discipline according to already promulgated regulations. The higher level and leading cadres must be exemplary in the observance and increase the control over the lower levels. At the same time, to continue revising in order to continue cutting unnecessary expenditures or expenditures which are not really urgent in the last six months of 1998. From now to the end of the budget year, the Government shall not settle any supplementary expenditures outside the draft budget already approved by the Government for the ministries, branches and localities.

4. To stop starting the construction of working offices and the purchase of expensive means (cars, air conditioners, and other high-cost equipment) by the Party and State agencies and socio-political organizations in a given period. The building or upgrading the offices of the newly-split provinces must be ratified by the Prime Minister. On the basis of the result of the inventory of assets of the administrative and other non- business agencies and the regime of equipment and property allocation, to resolutely carry out the regulation of the means and assets from the places which have them in excess to where they are running short.

5. To expeditiously evaluate and revise the financial management at the communes, redress immediately the weaknesses. To strengthen guidance and direction of the implementation of the policy of mobilizing the people's force to build the rural infrastructure and public welfare utilities on the basis of ensuring the level of mobilization suited to each locality and each unit which is democratically and collectively decided by the communal People's Council; to carry out well the democratic institutions at the grassroots and the principle of financial openness at the commune level and at the State agencies.

6. To step up the elaboration of statutory legal documents for the execution of the Law on the State Bank and the Law on Credit Institutions and work out the plan for execution once these two laws become effective (October 1st, 1998).

7. On the basis of the readjusted targets of the plan, the State Bank shall revise the targets and study to amend or modify the monetary institutions and policies in the direction of boosting the mobilization of capital to increase the loans for development of production and business; to continue the implementation of the policy of rearranging and streamlining the organization and activities of the system of commercial banks; to closely direct and apply in a flexible manner the tools of regulating monetary and foreign exchange circulation aimed at controlling inflation, strictly observe the regulation on management of foreign debts, maintain the international balance of payment, effectively handle accumulated debts and reduce overdue debts. It is necessary to complete for promulgation the Decree on management of borrowings and payment of foreign debts within the fourth quarter of 1998.

8. To strive to maintain the inflation rate below two digits in 1998.

VI. IN THE SOCIAL DOMAIN

1. To expeditiously complete and begin carrying out the program of job settlement, and supporting the redundant labor from the enterprises due to difficulties in production including the foreign-invested enterprises and the labor force returning from abroad. To encourage the enterprises and laborers to invest in expanding production and business and service to create more jobs, stabilize the labor force and reduce unemployment.

2. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall guide the People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government to study, review and implement the program of support for the redundant work force resulting from the rearrangement process and the equitisation of State enterprises, especially in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

3. To start carrying out immediately the program of socio-economic development in the 1,700 communes with exceptional difficulties at appropriate steps and with suitable methods.

4. To review the implementation of Directive No.660-TTg of October 17, 1995 of the Prime Minister on the settling the unplanned migration of the population and prepare for the promulgation of the new regulation to basically settle the problem of "free migration".

5. To continue implementing the Government decrees and other regulations on the prevention and fight against drug abuse, prostitution, noxious publications, ensuring traffic order and safety, and observance of a civilized lifestyle. To prepare the general plan on the prevention and fight against social evils.

6. To expeditiously complete the projects to carry out the policy of socialization of healthcare, education and training, culture and sport.

VII. GUIDANCE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN

1. To detect and handle in time problems arising in the process of guiding and directing the work at the branches and levels, the Government decides to use the form of "periodical briefing" with practical contents for each bloc of work and each locality, aimed at raising the effect and effectiveness of the guidance of the implementation of the socio economic plan in the coming period. The task of preparing the content of the briefing as assigned as follows:

- Preparation of the content of the briefing on industrial production: the Ministry of Industry;

- Preparation of the content of the briefing on agricultural production and water conservancy: the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development;

- Preparation of the content of the briefing on investment: the Ministry of Planning and Investment;

- Preparation of the content of the briefing on import and export: the Ministry of Trade;

- Preparation of the content of the briefing on finance and monetary affairs: the Ministry of Finance and the State Bank;

- Preparation of the content of the briefing on employment: the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs;

- Preparation of the content of the briefing on the prevention and fight against social evils: the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs;

- Preparation of the content of the briefing on litigations: the State Inspectorate.

The ministries, ministerial-level agencies and agencies attached to the Government and the People's Committees at various levels should appropriately care for the unraveling of difficulties and creating conditions to develop production and business in the non-State economic sector. At the briefings, the reports must include the situation in the non-State economic sectors.

2. In the third quarter of 1998, the elaboration of the institutions of the Government shall concentrate on a number of key domains such as the procedures of import and export, land, investment, monetary and credit operations, tax, setting up of enterprises, streamlining and equitization of State-owned enterprises.

3. To strictly carry out the regime of consulting and reporting; to ensure timely and accurate information in the reports of the State apparatus and the mass media.

4. To carry out the Political Bureau conclusions No.147-TB/TW of June 27,1998 on "the present socio-economic situation and the major solutions", it is necessary to prepare the following reports to submit to the Political Bureau in the coming period:

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the main responsibility and coordinate with the National Administration of Land and the related branches to prepare the report on agricultural development and the rural economy inclu-ding the question of land and the development of farms.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the main responsibility and coordinate with the related branches to prepare the report on production relations and distribution of incomes.

- The Central Committee for Renewal of Enter-prises shall prepare a report on renewal and stream-lining and equitization of State enterprises;

- The Ministry of Industry shall prepare the report on the strategy of development of a number of fundamental industries.

The ministries and branches shall, according to the domains under their charge, submit to the Government for decision the concrete tasks mentioned above in the implementation of this Resolution.

On behalf of the Government

Prime Minister

PHAN VAN KHAI

APPENDIX

LIST OF BUDGET-FUNDED PROJECTS

IN GROUPS A AND B TO BE SPACED OUT IN CONSTRUCTION TEMPO OR DEFERRED IN GROUND-BREAKING

1. Group A projects:

1. The Lang- Hoa Lac road: To be spaced out in construction tempo, not necessarily to be completed in 1998, only to be achieved as far as permitted by the loans from the Maritime Stock Bank, not registered for budget funding, the loans to be gradually repaid after the year 2000.

2. The Trans-Asia road: To be reconsidered in order to cut down on the capital already approved, and the tempo of construction to be revised after the loans from foreign countries are signed and the project is decided.

3. The North-South Motorway: Fund for preparation of the project already registered but due to difficulties in funding the time for starting construction shall be deferred (it was earlier decided to start the construction before the year 2000).

4. The Lower Yazun Lake: By 1997, 75% of the fund had been achieved, with watering capacity of 13,500 hectares; the main works and canals can already water 3,500 ha. About 140 billion Dong remain for the building of canals. Construction shall be carried out only up to the capacity of exploitation, not targeted at completing all the canals in 1999 or the year 2000.

II. Group B projects:

1. Road 14B to be spaced out in construction tempo on the section from Hoa Nha bridge to Thanh My.

2. The Cua Lo port, estimated at a cost of 139 billion Dong, of which three billion Dong had been invested up to the end of 1997, and four billion Dong already registered for 1998 plan . Building of viaduct to the opposite bank should be deferred.

3. The Quy Nhon port, total estimated cost of 107 billion Dong, of which one billion Dong has already registered in the plan, building of the storage area shall be deferred.

4. The Da Nang airport (the Ministry of Defense), total draft budget not yet approved, but four billion Dong already registered for the preparations of investment. Ground- breaking shall be deferred.

5. The secondary roads system WB2, 20 billion Dong already registered in the plan, ground-breaking shall be deferred (foreign capital in 1998 not yet available).

6. The Binh Minh three polders work (the Ministry of Defense), estimated total cost of 35 billion Dong, is a new construction. Three billions Dong is registered in the 1998 plan. Ground- breaking shall be deferred.

7. The Political School of Thai Binh province, total cost of 8.4 billion Dong, of which two billion Dong has been achieved, 1.9 billion Dong has been registered in 1998 plan, construction tempo shall be spaced out.

8. The Political School of Long An province, total cost of 8.4 billion Dong, of which 3.4 billion Dong has been achieved, 15 billion Dong has been registered in 1998 plan, tempo of construction shall be spaced out.

9. The Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theatre, total cost of 25.2 billion Dong, of which five billion Dong has been achieved, 1.5 billion Dong has been registered in 1998 plan, construction tempo shall be spaced out.

10. The Performance Hall of the Cultural Center in Can Tho province, total cost of 9.6 billion Dong, of which 1.5 billion Dong has been achieved, 1.5 billion Dong has been registered in 1998 plan, construction tempo shall be spaced out.

11. The cultural center of Quang Nam province, prepared in 1997 but not yet carried out, one billion Dong has been registered in 1998 plan, construction tempo shall be spaced out.

12. The Ben Duoc Memorial Temple, total investment of 31 billion Dong, of which 12.5 billion Dong has been achieved and 10 billion Dong has been registered in 1998 plan, construction tempo shall be spaced out.

In addition, consideration shall be made to defer the ground-breaking of a number of the following projects which are deemed not really urgent in order to concentrate fund for other projects:

1. The auditorium of the National Administrative Institute with an estimated cost of 26 billion Dong of which only 1.5 billion Dong has been registered in the plan.

2. The Laboratory Complex of the Water Conservancy College with total estimated cost of 20 billion Dong of which 1.5 billion Dong has been registered in the plan.

3. The Operational Center (the National University Ho Chi Minh City) of which only 6.9 billion Dong has been registered in the plan.

4. The Maritime Secondary School with total estimated cost of 10 billion Dong of which 0.5 billion Dong has been registered in the plan.

5. The Song, Dance and Music Theatre of which only two billion Dong has been registered in the plan for preparations but conditions are not completed for construction.

6. The Hue television tower, with total estimated cost of 49 billion Dong, of which only 0.5 billion Dong had been achieved up to the end of 1997, and four billion Dong has been registered in the plan.

7. The banking database center of which procedures are not completed, only 0.3 billion Dong has been registered in the plan to prepare for investment.

8. The Political School of Ha Nam province with total estimated cost of 14 billion Dong of which only 3 billion Dong has been registered in the plan.

9. The Sport Contest House and Gymnasium of Gia Lam (Hanoi) of which three billion Dong has been registered in the plan.

10. The Voi Mountain relic (Haiphong) of which two billion Dong has been registered in the plan.

11. The Office of the Party Committee of Lam Dong province of which 2.5 billion Dong has been registered in the plan.-